Happy for You
by ashenrenee
Summary: He would have believed it, would have believed that the brilliant smile that stretched across her face was a reflection of true happiness if he didn't know her better. Her whisky colored eyes clued him in on the lie. One-Shot!


**Hey guys, this is a one shot that I wrote for PadfootProngsMoonyJCC for their birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  
**

 **Please don't forget to feed the magical review eating fairy!**

* * *

Her smile was happy. It lit up her face and made her look absolutely radiant. He stared at her, entranced by how convincing she was. He would have believed it, would have believed that the brilliant smile that stretched across her face was a reflection of true happiness if he didn't know her better. Her whisky colored eyes clued him in on the lie.

"I'm happy for you," she said. She even sounded like she meant it, her tone was light and filled with joy as she fawned over Astoria's engagement ring. He saw the flash of hurt in her eyes and he felt his stomach clench. He had no doubt that when she left the party she would go home and she would cry. She would scream and throw things and probably set something on fire because that's what Hermione did when she was a cyclone of swirling emotions. Draco knew her better than anyone, so he knew that she was on the precipice of shattering.

"You'll be a bridesmaid, won't you?" Astoria asked, missing the way that Hermione flinched slightly at the question. Her smile broadened and the pain in her eyes deepened.

"When is the wedding?" she asked.

"June," Astoria answered. "Narcissa has offered us use of the rose garden, it's going to be absolutely perfect."

"I can't guarantee anything unfortunately," Hermione said in false regret. "I haven't told anyone yet but I'm going to be out of the country for a while. I'd like to travel a bit, see the world, but I'll try to make it back in time." _Liar_ , Draco thought angrily.

"Oh Hermione that's wonderful!" Astoria exclaimed as she rushed forward to hug her.

Astoria's eyes danced with warmth but when Draco looked into the stone cold eyes of the woman he loved he felt as though the world would collapse around him. She'd never looked at him like that before, not even when she'd broken things off with him almost a year before. _Incompatible_ , she'd said. _Your parents would never approve,_ she'd reminded him. _I would never ask you to give up your family to be with me,_ she'd promised. Like an idiot he'd let her go.

"I should go, I have to get an early start in the morning and I need to sleep," Hermione said, pulling out of Astoria's embrace and stepping away. "Congratulations, I hope you will be very happy together." _Lies, lies, lies._

"I'll walk you out," Draco told her, giving Astoria a quick peck on the cheek before taking Hermione's arm and leading her from the room before she had a chance to protest.

Once they were outside Draco pushed her up against the side of the house and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. He expected her to push him away or to at least hesitate, so when she kissed him back without fighting he was surprised.

"I really am happy for you," she whispered as she pulled away. He could hear the tears in her voice as she spoke.

"Hermione, I don't want to-"

"Don't say that," she interrupted him.

"Don't say what?" he asked breathlessly.

"I want you to look at me and smile and tell me how happy you are and how much you love that woman and how you can't wait for her to be your wife," she whispered. "You're going to tell me that and then I'm going to congratulate you again and you're going to go back in there and you're going to stand by her side for the rest of the night with a big smile on your face because we're both _happy._ " He didn't know what she was doing or why it was so important to her that they continue lying but looking into her eyes he knew that this was not a request he could deny her.

"I'm really glad that my parents chose Astoria, she really is the perfect woman for me," he said, letting a smile slide across his features. "I'm really happy, Hermione. I can't wait to marry her."

"Congratulations Draco, I wish you all the happiness in the world," she responded and for a moment he almost believed her. She stepped around him and began walking away, she made it about five steps before she turned on the spot and disapparated.

The months flew by and Hermione sent Astoria postcards from various places around the world. Paris, Tokyo, New York City, Rio, and a few places Draco had never heard of before. June came in a whirlwind and he barely had time to register that it was his wedding day before his mother had him dressed in ridiculously expensive dress robes and standing in front of the Minister of Magic waiting for Astoria to walk down the aisle.

The music started and he turned to look at her, his eyes scanning the guests before stopping on a woman standing off to the side, in the shade of the trees that marked the edge of the property line and his breath left his body in a rush and he forgot about the woman walking towards him on her father's arm as he stared in rapture at the woman he loved. It wasn't until a small hand was slipped into his that he remembered where he was and what he was doing and suddenly he felt sick because it wasn't what he wanted.

He turned back to face the Minister, who he knew was speaking but he could not hear a word over the rush of blood in his ears and then everyone was looking at him expectantly and he looked at Astoria and he realized that he'd missed something but he couldn't for the life of him remember what it was that he was meant to say. The Minister cleared his throat awkwardly and repeated his question and this time Draco heard it and he knew, _knew_ that if he answered it the way that everyone was expecting him to he'd never be happy.

Hermione could pretend all she wanted, she could come up with a million excuses and she could ask him to play along but that didn't mean that he would. He would not pretend he didn't love her anymore.

"Astoria, I'm sorry," he said and everyone in the crowd behind them gasped in astonishment. "No. You're wonderful, but no." He was surprised to see a relieved smile flit across her face.

"Thank Salazar," she giggled happily. "I was so scared that _I_ was going to have to be the one to leave _you_ at the altar." Draco laughed and watched as she ran back down the aisle and jumped into Theo Nott's waiting arms, both of them wearing deliriously happy expressions.

His eyes found Hermione again, still watching from the trees and his heart leapt into his throat when he saw the radiant smile stretching across her face as he ran towards her. She threw herself into his arms and his lips crashed down onto hers and his entire body sang in triumph as she kissed him fiercely, possessively.

"I love you," he told her, his lips barely leaving hers long enough to let out the words before he was kissing her again.

"I love you too," she gasped.

"Ahem!" They broke apart to see his parents standing close by, watching them with amused expressions on their faces. Draco smiled when he saw Hermione's face turning bright red under their stares. His mother broke out into a wide grin and for the first time in his life Draco saw his father smile.

"It's about time Draco, I thought I was actually going to have to object to your union before you came to your senses," he said seriously. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"You don't object to this?" she asked, gesturing between herself and Draco. His father shook his head.

"I'm happy for you," he told them. Draco stared down at her and watched as the last bit of reservation and fear she'd felt about them drop away and when she looked back up at him there was nothing but love in her eyes.


End file.
